Voices of Extreme: Break the Silence

Modern Melodic Hard Rock

4.0/5.0

Editor's Note: This review is from July 2010. Recently, however, VOX has been signed to Germany's Metalville Records. It's great to see a good band get label recognition. The album art and band info have been updated to reflect this advancement.

Break the Silence is an appropriate title for Voices of Extreme's (VOX) new album since we have not heard from them since 2005's Hypocrite. They were busy after that release opening for the likes of Godsmack, Alice in Chains, and Disturbed. But as happens, changes came along and the members parted ways. Bassist Bob Brennan would soon return to New York in late 2009 to collaborate with vocalist Don Chaffin, drummer John Macaluso, and new guitarist Rob Katrikh. Now backed by the management team of David R. Swales and Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden), VOX launches Break the Silence.

Not yesteryear's rock, but definitely rooted in classic hook-laden melodic hard rock, VOX ventures into a more modern motif. Songs like Apocalypse, Hollow and Numb have a near urban feel. Then Break the Silence, Did It Again, and the radio-friendly Tell Me What it Takes can muster the same popular modern rock energy of Hinder or Nickelback. Alternatively, Made of Stone steals a page from post-grunge and mixes it with late 80's melodic hard rock. Then Blown Away returns to modern heavy rock echoing their peers Disturbed and Godsmack.

All this makes Break the Silence a fine mix of a entertaining tunes with enough innovation to compete with, rather than succumb to, current modern trends. A final mention should be made of the solid production and solid musicianship, especially from versatile and strong vocal performance of Don Chaffin. He's destined to be one of the better vocalist of this new century. Break the Silence is very recommended!

In Short

Voices 0f Extreme's Break the Silence is a fine mix of a entertaining modern hard rock tunes with enough innovation to compete with, rather than succumb to, current modern trends.

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